Prima Queen – The Prize

Label: Submarine Cat Records
Released: 25th April 2025

It’s a well-known fact that you can’t rush greatness. To be really, truly proud of something means putting a lot of work in, something that Louise Macphail and Kristin McFadden have over the span of their time as Prima Queen come to understand. Their debut record, ‘The Prize’, is the result of years of mapping out exactly where they want to be. 

The album begins with a reworked and remastered rendition of ‘Mexico’. Subdued at first, it eventually builds into something more: the guitar gradually amping up to reflect that point when you’ve just had enough of keeping everything in. 

You’d be wrong to assume that ‘The Prize’ is just a straightforward breakup album, though: it’s an amalgamation of tales of romantic relationships past in their every form. ‘Ugly’ is a turbulent retelling of what happens when you try to keep a festival romance alive long after the weekend is over, whilst ‘Oats (I Ain’t Gonna Beg)’ sees the pair be assertive of the fact they won’t ask their partner for the bare minimum. 

There’s even a jab at an ex named after Hollywood superstar Meryl Streep that just goes to prove that the duo wanted this record to be infused with fun. The catchy guitar melody on this one makes it a right earworm, the kind bound to get stuck in your head for days on end.

Ultimately, ‘The Prize’ is the culmination of two artists sure of their vision with an intent to turn every situation into a funny story, and it works delightfully well.